Transition device for car couplers



Feb, 17, 1925.

J. wlLLlsoN .TRANSITION DEVICE FOR CAR COUPLERS Filed June 9. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATToRNE Feb. 17, 1925.l

J. WILLISON TRANSITIONl DEVICE FOR CAR COUPLERS Filed June 9. 192s 2 sheets-sheet 2 vIN VEN TOR Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATE-NT offri-ca.l

JOHN WILLISON, OF CLEVELAND, O'HIO,

NATIONAL MALLEABLE AND STEEL CASTINGS COMPANY, OF`CILEVELAND, OHIO,

A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

Assis-Noa, BY MEsINE ASSIGNMENTS, To

TRANSITION DEVICE FOR OAR COUPLERS.

Application led June 9,

To all' iazomz't may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN WILLISON, a subjectof the King of Great Britain, residing at Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Transition Devices `for Car Couplers, of.

which the following is a specification,` reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, in which.w

1 is a plan of'a car coupler having my improveddevice attached thereto coupled with a coupler of the draw-hook type and showing the position of the couplers when under draft; Fig. 2` is an elevation thereof showing in full lines the position of the transition device` andthe couplers when under draft, in dot-dash lines, the position i of such mechanism when the cars areabuffed together, and in dotted linesthe position of the transition device when not in use; Fig. 3 is a detail plan of a portion of the transition device, and Fig` 4l is a sideelevation thereof.

My invention relates to transitional cou pling mechanism and is particularly designed to `provide means for permitting cars equipped with automatic couplers to be coupled with cars equipped with couplers of other types, such as of the draw-hook and side buffer type. To this end I have provided a transitional or supplemental coupling device which can be carried by the automatic coupler and may be easily swung into and out of operative position so that the coupler may be ready for couplingwith an automatic coupler of the same type or with a draw-hook arrangement or other form of coupler. My improved mechanism is arranged to be supported beneath the coupler head when not in use and to be swung between the jaws of the coupler into operative position, and is to be connected with a coupler of the draw-hook or other type by a device such as a screw coupling member. My invention also consists in the various features which I shall hereinafter describe and claim.

Referring to the drawings, 2 indicates a coupler of the rigid `iaw type shown in my United States Patent No. 1,201,665, dated October 17, 1916, having jaws 3 and 4 and a lock 5 normally projecting forward of the intermediate buffing face 6 of the car coupier. The coupler in addition to the cavity -8 in which the lock 5 operates has a recess 7 1923A Serial No; 644,330.

extending rearwardly from the bufling faceV 6 near the axis of the coupler to admit the.

support 12, which is shaped somewhat like.

the letter J, extends downwardly and forwardly and has a portion 13` which returns under the coupler 2 and has pivotally mounted upon it thecarrier la, theupper end of which terminates-in a draft arm 15.A The draft arm 15 has angled faces 16 which bear in the crotch 17 of the jaw 3, while its opposite face 18 is intended to bear against the side face 19 of the lock 5 when in operative position.

The draft arm 15 has formed on its rear side a socket 20 for the threaded nut 21, which is rotatably mounted therein on its horizontal axis. The draftarm 15 is also apertured at 22 on its forward side to permit insertion of the screw coupling member 9 through the draft arm 15 and into the threaded nut 21. When the member 9 has been so inserted a washer 23 may be riveted to the end of the screw 9 to keep it from being turned completely out of the threaded nut 21.

The screw coupling member 9 has at tached thereto the usual operating handle 24 and shackleV 25 by which a coupling may be effected with a coupler of another type, such as the draw-hook 26.

Vhen the transitional member is not in use it depends beneath the coupler from its arm 11 out of the way of any coupling operations, as is shown in dotted lilies in Fig. 2, and is held from swinging loosely thereunder by the forward side of the buffing flange 27, against which it is normally held in bearing by gravity. When it is desired to use the transitional device with a coupler of the draw-hook type, the device is swung forward and upwardly and the shackle 25 passed over the hook 26 of the opposing coupler. The screw handle 24 is then rotated to take up the slack in the transitional member, which brings the draft arm 15 into bearing between the jaw 3 and the lock 5 of the coupler 2, and the buffers 28 under a slight initial stress, as is shown in Fig. 1.

When under draft the pulling stresses are transmitted from the hook 26 to the shackle 25, and then through the screw member 9 and nutl 21 to the draft arm l5, and through that arm to the pulling jaw '3 and lock 5. When the cars approach each other in buting the resulting slack permits the transitional device to drop down out of the Way of the hook 26, as is shown in dot-dash lines in Fig. 2, so that it will not be damaged in huliing.

My improved transition mechanism provides an extremely simple and rr' ed connection which utilizes screw connec `ions and couplers of existing form and hence provides an extremely economical arrangement for transition service.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have ne intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any mechanical equivalents of the features shown and. described, or portions thereof, but recognize that various structural modifications are possible Within the scope of the invention claimed.

`What I claim is:

l. In coupler mechanism, the combination with an automatic coupler of a supplemental coupling member pivoted to the coupler and depending therefrom when in lowered position, and when in operative position having an extension terminating in a dra-ft arm engaging pulling faces of said coupler, said draft arm also supporting a screw and shackle connection for coupling With a coupler of a different type.

2. In a coupler mechanism, the combination with an automatic coupler of a supplemental coupling member pivotally mounted on the coupler head and having a draft arm, the draft arm having on one side a pulling bearing on the pulling jaw of the coupler and on the other a bearing from which pulling strains are transmitted to the coupler, and an eXtensible and contractable coupling member mounted on the draft arm for connection with a coupler of a different type.

3. In coupler mechanism, the combination with an automatic coupler of a supplemental coupling member pivotally mounted on the coupler and having a draft arm having pulling bearings on the coupler, a rotative bearing carried by the draft arm having mounted therein a member capable of movement relative to the draft arm to provide and take up slack in a connection with another coupler.

i- In coupler mechanism, the combination Wit-h an automatic coupler of a supplemental coupling member pivotally mounted on the coupler and having a draft arm having pulling bearings on the coupler, a rotative bearing carried by the draft arm having mounted therein a screw member capable of axial movement relative to said bearing and carrying a shackle for connection Wit-h another coupler.

JOHN lNILLISON. 

